


The Job Hunt

by allysonandrews1982 (FonzFan82)



Series: TV Comeback [3]
Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-27
Updated: 2013-09-13
Packaged: 2017-12-21 13:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/900898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FonzFan82/pseuds/allysonandrews1982
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 3 of the rewrite version to 'Henry's TV Comeback.' Arnold gets a care package in the mail from Daphne Blake - Black and later decides he wants a job so he goes on a job hunt. Who would want him? Find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ernie came home and handed Arnold his mail.

"This came for you," Ernie said.

"What is it?" Arnold asked.

"I don't know. It came all the way from Milwaukee," Ernie said, reading the address.

"Thanks, Ernie," Arnold said, taking the package.

They watched him open it. It was from Daphne. There was a note in the care package.

"What is in the package, Arnold?" Eddie asked.

"Looks like he got a note," Ernie said.

"Some woman found out I'm poor and wanted to send me this package of goods," Arnold said, showing his roommates the package and note.

He also found a check full of money along with the package full of goods.

"How much is in that check?" Eddie wanted to know, since his job was a bank teller.

"It says five thousand dollars. You know I don't have any money!" he said.

"I bet this Daphne woman must be rich since she has all this money on her," Ernie said, reading the check.

"Let me handle this check, Arnold, unless your dad wants to hold on to it," Eddie said.

"Let me talk to Dad. He'll know what to do with the money," Arnold said, still holding the check.

Arnold went through the rest of the package. He found a lot of clothes and some new clothing and a brand - new toothbrush.

"A toothbrush? Oh, well. I guess I always could use a new one," he said, looking at the fancy brush.

He decided to put the new blankets on his bed for that night, since the weather was going to get cold.

Arnold called Henry and Arthur and they were home.

"Hi, Uncle Henry," Arnold said when Henry got on the phone.

"Hi, Arnold."

"Uncle Henry, I need to talk to you or Dad," he said.

"About what?" Henry asked his nephew.

"You see, I got a package in the mail," he began.

"A package? From who?" Henry wanted to know.

"It came all the way from Milwaukee by the name of Daphne Black or Roper or whatever her name is," Arnold said.

"That woman again? She sends your father checks every week. Can't she leave us alone?" Henry asked.

"What are you talking about, Uncle Henry? She sent me a check of five thousand dollars. I have never seen that much money in my life. You know I don't even have a penny!" he said.

"Did she leave a note?" Henry asked.

"She did."

"Read it to me, boy."

Arnold put the phone down to find the note. The note was not far away, so he was not far away from the phone.

"I had to get the note, Uncle Henry," Arnold said.

"Read it. I want to hear what she told you," Henry said.

"She says in this note that she found out I am poor," he said, reading the note to Henry.

"What was in the package you got?" Henry asked.

"A lot of goods, Uncle Henry. I mostly got clothing. I got new blankets for my bed, but I just put them on for tonight," Arnold said.

"Go on. Tell me what else was in there besides a note and money."

"Also a fancy toothbrush," he said.

"A toothbrush! You cannot pass that. We can always use new ones," Henry said.

"What else was in the package?" Henry asked.

"I also got some new magazines and games, but they looked like computer and Nintendo, but I don't play Nintendo," Arnold said.

"We'll pass those to the neighborhood kids, then," Henry said.

"Anything else?" Henry asked.

"That's it," Arnold said.

"Tell me, Arnold, are the clothes men or women's clothing?" Henry asked.

"Men's, of course. They sent the package under my name, but clothes aren't my size," Arnold said.

"We'll find you new clothes, then. We'll use that check you got to get you new clothes and whatever you want to get," Henry said.

"Okay. Thanks, Uncle Henry. You're the greatest," he said and they got off the phone.

"Eddie, forget the bank. I'm going shopping," Arnold said.

"Okay. What did your family think about the package?" Eddie asked.

"Uncle Henry said Dad gets a five dollar check every week from the same woman. I do not know the details on that. Some of this stuff is going somewhere else," Arnold said, seeing the games and clothes that did not fit him.


	2. Chapter 2

After Arnold left Wal - Mart for his next interview, he hopped on the bus and headed for the construction site. He asked one of the workers how to get to the manager's office. He read the name tag, which read Tony. Tony showed him where the manager's office was and headed back to the site. He read on the office door that the manager's name was Jeffrey Holmes. Arnold knocked on the door and and heard someone call from inside the office, "Come in." He knew it was a man's voice. He figured it was probably Mr. Holmes calling him to come in.

"You're not one of my workers, are you?" Jeffrey asked when he saw Arnold walk in.

"No, I'm not. I came in to fill in an application," Arnold told Jeff.

Jeff handed him an application and a pen to use it to fill in with. Arnold took the application with him along with the pen and left the office so he could use the privacy to fill in the application. It took him a while to fill out the application because it was about five pages or so long. He did what he had done with the other applications by leaving the company name blank.

He handed the application over to Jeff when he finished filling in the application. Jeff told him he would call once he got the job. Arnold thought three job applications in one day was enough, so he left the construction site and hopped on the bus and headed back to his apartment. He decided to have lunch when the phone rang. He heard Henry's voice on the other end of the line.

"You're coming over for dinner tonight," he ordered his nephew.

"Okay, Uncle Henry," he said.

"How did the job hunt go?" Henry wanted to know.

"Those applications are hard to fill out, Uncle Henry. I just got back from the construction site. They were hiring people. Their application was five pages long!" Arnold told Henry.

"You can stop job hunting now, Arnold," he said.

"What were you doing before I called?" Henry asked.

"Taking my medicine."

"Good boy. You haven't had any blackouts lately, have you?" Henry asked.

"No."

"That's why those pills are there for, Arnold. We remember the last time you blacked out; you were out for about four hours. If you do get hired; they might make you take a drug test. Have you ever thought of that?" Henry asked his nephew.

"No! I can't go through a drug test, Uncle Henry. You guys don't even know why I'm on drugs in the first place. I can't even tell you why," he said, his hand starting to shake.

"Is it part of the car accident?" Henry asked.

"I don't know!"

"Tell you what. Your father and I are coming to the apartment now if you black out. Are you alone now? Where are Eddie and Ernie?"

"Work."

"So you're alone. Your father and I are coming to the apartment if you do black out. Don't bother answering the door when we come over. We'll let ourselves in," Henry ordered Arnold.

They hung up the phone. His hand was still shaking when he put the phone back in its place.

When he finished the last of his lunch, Arnold went to the bathroom where the medicine cabinet was and opened the medicine cabinet and saw his medications in there and took them out. He knew it was time to take them, so he grabbed three containers out and filled a glass of water to go with the pills. He finished taking the last of his medications, so he put the containers back where they belonged in the medicine cabinet.

"We're going to Arnold's now, Arthur. I have a feeling he's going to pass out any second," Henry said.

"Why would he do that? Is anything wrong?" Arthur asked, worried.

"I don't know. He said he just took his medicine, but I don't know what's going on over there," Henry said as the two of them headed out the door after grabbing the car keys and locking the door.

Arnold did pass out on the living room floor after hanging up the phone. He opened the door and let Arthur walk in first.

"He did pass out, Arthur. Let me see if I can bring him back," Henry said and tried first aid on Arnold.

Arthur was worry about his son's being out like that, so he said a silent prayer or two. Henry didn't feel anything while he did first aid, so he headed right to the phone and called 911 and the ambulance was on its way to the apartment building.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Arnold was out of the hospital and back home but in bed. He heard the phone ring at eight - thirty that morning but had a headache, but got up to answer the phone. He heard Henry's voice on the other end of the line when he answered it.

"Hi, Uncle Henry," Arnold said.

"How are you feeling?" Henry asked.

"I have a headache, that's all," Arnold said.

"Take it easy today, okay? Did the doctor give you any new medicines for passing out like that or not?" Henry asked Arnold.

"No. I don't want to talk about it, Uncle Henry. I just want to sleep," he said.

"Okay. We won't talk about it then," Henry told him.

"I need to hear from Great Clips and Wal - Mart and that construction site before I start the hardware store, Uncle Henry. The construction site was hiring," Arnold told Henry.

"I think that's worth a good experience," Henry told Arnold.

"I don't know, Uncle Henry. What do I do about my medications? You know I have to take them four times a day," Arnold reminded Henry.

"I remember, Arnold. Just take them along with you. Are you out of medications yet?" Henry asked him.

"Almost. I'll call for refills when we get off," Arnold told Henry.

"Okay. You'll be fine on that when you're working."

"Trust me, this is a good job experience for you, Arnold. When they hire you, ask for a lunch hour, even if he doesn't give you one. Tell him you need one," Henry told him.

"Okay. I'll tell him that, Uncle Henry," Arnold said.

"That's it for now. Right now, you take it easy for today because of what happened yesterday. When you're feeling a lot better, call us and we'll set up a date for us to drive you to the job," Henry told Arnold.

"Okay, Uncle Henry. I'll let you know how I'm feeling by tomorrow," he said as they got off the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

"How is Arnold feeling, Henry?" Arthur asked when he hung up the phone.

"He said he had a headache, Arthur. He didn't sound so hot when we were on the phone," Henry told him.

"Poor boy," Arthur said, feeling bad for his son.

"He's not so sure about the construction job he was telling me about," Henry said.

"Give him time to think about it. He knows it means money," Arthur said.

"I know," Henry said.

"I'm calling Barney this morning and talk to him about that," Henry said.

He picked up the phone and he made the call to the doctor's office. He picked up the phone when the receptionist put her through his office.

"Hi, Dr.," Henry said when the doctor got on the phone.

"Hi, Henry," Barney said.

"Hi. Arthur and I were talking about what happened to Arnold yesterday. Why didn't you give him a new medication? You knew he was out for a long time," Henry pointed out.

"Have you two talked to him today?" the doctor asked.

"Well, we did the other day. He said to Warren he had a headache, that's all."

"If you really want me to give him a fourth medication for passing out like that for a long time, then I guess I will. He doesn't need to be in my office for this if he isn't feeling so hot today," the doctor said.

"He's looking for a job, but he hasn't been hired quite yet," Henry said.

"I've never told you this, Henry, but since he's taking four times a day on those three medicines, forget the job. I don't think he can work at all," the doctor told him.

"It was Arnold's idea he get a job."

"Tell Arnold to forget it. Arnold isn't well enough for a job. He could black out."

"I'll tell him that. Write the prescription for Arnold and we'll have it picked up," Henry said as they got off the phone.

"What did the doctor say?" Arthur asked as he put the phone back in its spot.

"He said to tell you to forget the job. He said Arnold isn't well enough to work. Period. He said Arnold could black out," Henry said.

"That's too bad," Arthur said.

Henry decided to call Arnold at the hospital right away and pass the information that the doctor had just given him.


	5. Chapter 5

While trying to sleep that day, Arnold heard the phone ring in the apartment and heard it was Jeff Holmes calling from the construction site, telling him he got the job.

"Mr. Holmes, there's something you need to know. My doctor says I can't have a job at all," Arnold said.

"Why did you fill out an application to work at my company?" Jeff asked.

"I didn't know if my doctor would let handle a job. That's why I applied," he said.

"I understand," Jeff said and they got off the phone.

He got out of bed around lunchtime and picked up the phone and called Henry and Arthur. They were eating lunch when he called.

"Hi, Arnold. How are you feeling?" Henry asked.

"Fine. I was thinking about that job you told me about," Arnold said.

"About this job thing, Arnold. We were talking with the doc earlier. He's giving you a fourth medication because of that blackout you had the other day. Six hours is a long time to be blacked out, Arnold. Dr. Rubble also said you weren't well enough to have a job," Henry told his nephew.

"I feel fine to handle a full - time job, Uncle Henry. I can do it."

"We really think you should follow doctor's instructions," Henry said.

"What am I going to do if I can't work at all? Stay home? I can't do that."

"Okay, but if you do have a blackout there on the job, you're not listening to the doctor about not having a job. You will be making new friends wherever you work. Remember what your father said about cars," Henry told his nephew.

"I know, Uncle Henry. He doesn't want me driving," Arnold said, remembering Arthur's very words when he almost died in the car accident eleven years ago.

"Just don't talk about what happened eleven years ago to anyone. Got it?" Henry asked.

"Got it. I don't like talking about it," he said.

They got off the phone just then. He went into the kitchen and made some lunch. When he finished lunch, he headed for the bathroom where he kept his medicines in the medicine cabinet.

"You're going to let him have a job just like that after the doctor told us he couldn't have a job?" Arthur asked.

He had listened to the phone conversation.

"I had to, Arthur. What's he going to do if he stays home day after day and night after night? He said he couldn't do that," Henry said.

"How is he feeling now than he was a bit ago this morning?" Arthur asked.

"He said a bit better, but the headache is still there," Henry told his brother.

Arnold slept the rest of the day and didn't hear his roommates come home from work. He did hear them start cooking dinner. That was when he woke up. He got out of bed and put his robe and slippers on. Eddie saw Arnold come into the living room.

"Ernie, look who's up," Eddie said.

"Is this a sick day?" Ernie asked their roommate.

"Yeah. Just a headache, that's all," Arnold said.

"Are you eating with us?" Eddie asked.

"I'll eat. What's cooking?" Arnold asked.

"Shrimp," Ernie said.

"Yum. I like shrimp," Arnold said.


	6. Chapter 6

"I have news for you guys," Arnold told his roommates.

"I'm taking a job offer at a construction site. I want to help pay the rent for this apartment. You guys wanted me to live here, so why can't I help with the rent?" Arnold asked.

"Okay. We'll let you go on this one. We want the address out there so we could get your share of the rent," Ernie said.

"I'll give it to you. I don't know anyone there."

"How are you going to get around town since you don't have a driver's license?" Ernie asked.

"I'll find a way. Maybe I'll take the bus," Arnold said.

"Sure. One of us will pick them up tomorrow sometime," Eddie said.

"How many prescriptions are they?" Ernie asked.

"Four. I am running out of the other three," Arnold told his roommates.

"Sure, we'll be happy to pick up those meds for you," Eddie said.

"Thanks. Taking three medicines four times a day is rough. I don't know how many times I'll be taking this new one. I haven't looked at it yet, but I will tomorrow when you give it to me," Arnold said.

"That does sound like a hard job to do," Ernie agreed.

"I wish I was in your shoes," Arnold said to the roommates he had.

Two days later, Arnold was at the construction site. He had taken along his medications. He saw Jeff Holmes again.

"I thought you said you couldn't take my offer," Jeff told him when Arnold was in his office.

"I can't, but I decided to give it a shot anyway," Arnold answered.

"All right. You can have my offer again. You can start today," Jeff said, handing his work clothes.

"Thanks. I'll change into these right away," Arnold said and had Jeff show him where the bathrooms were.

About thirty minutes later, Arnold came out. Tony spotted Arnold.

"Are you Arnold Webber?" Arnold heard Tony's voice ask behind him.

He turned around and found Tony standing there.

"Yes, I am. Who are you?" he asked, a bit shy.

"I'm Tony. I was told from Mr. Holmes to train you," Tony said.

"Okay," he said still shy.

"Thanks, but I don't know anyone here," Arnold said.

Arnold looked at his watch and it read 12:00, which was lunchtime.

"Excuse me, will you? I have some private business to take care of," Arnold said.

He took his pill container with him and went to look for the men's room.

"He sounds quiet, Tony. Why did he leave like that for?" another man asked.

"None of our business, but to tell you the truth, Arnold told me had some private business."

"I didn't know," the other construction man said.

They saw Arnold return five minutes later.

"I'm ready to go to work now," Arnold said.

The three of them headed to where Arnold would be working with them. The whole walk with the three of them was quiet. Not one word was said from the three of them. Tony let Arnold sit on the rock. Arnold saw he was sharing the same area as they were. He didn't say another word until Tony was ready.

"Arnold, this is where you're going to work," Tony said.

"Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you," Arnold said in the same shy voice when he met Tony's coworker.

"Hello, Arnold. It's nice to meet you," the other man said.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

"Thank you, sir," he said.


End file.
